Telecom Vendors

Swisscom and Ericsson are closely collaborating on end-to-end network slicing for critical communications in a joint project to deploy and explore new use cases for 4G and 5G. The project is based on Ericsson radio access and core networks, and one of the first steps is to test how the functionality can support critical communications over public networks, for example, in the public transport sector.

Qualcomm announced Friday that its Board of Directors has unanimously rejected the revised non-binding, unsolicited proposal by Broadcom to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Qualcomm for $82.00 per share ($60.00 in cash and $22.00 in Broadcom stock), which Broadcom announced on February 5, 2018.

During a media and analysis briefing ahead of Mobile World Congress 2018, which will be held in Barcelona, Chinese ICT solutions provider Huawei emphasized the importance of all industries to work together and go beyond traditional boundaries to achieve a fully-connected, intelligent world.

Ericsson has enhanced its 5G Platform portfolio, introduced in February 2017, with new solutions for the radio and core network. The company launched 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) commercial software, based on the recently approved first 3GPP 5G New Radio (NR) standard.

Following pressure from shareholders, Qualcomm has increased its offer to purchase NXP semiconductors from an agreed $110 per share to $127.50. In a statement, Qualcomm said it had reached an agreement with NXP's board of directors for the increased offer, after shareholders said the original offer was too low.

Chinese vendor Huawei has partnered with Canadian telecommunications operator TELUS on an urban trial of 5G wireless-to-the-home service using customer premise equipment (CPE). It has been claimed that the innovative trial is the first of its kind in North America and among the first globally.

Nokia and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, have successfully completed interoperability testing in the 3.5Ghz and 28Ghz spectrum compliant with the global 3GPP 5G NR Release 15 standard - which was formally confirmed in December - and using the commercially available Nokia AirScale base station and device prototypes from Qualcomm Technologies.

Qualcomm and Samsung have strengthened their relationship, which could help the mobile chipmaker fend off its antitrust case in South Korea. As part of an expanded cross-license agreement, Samsung "will be withdrawing its interventions" into Qualcomm's appeal against an $868 million fine announced in 2016 over what the Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) deemed "excessive" licensing fees.